Being Alert for Daycare Abuse

Most people find a daycare facility that they’re entirely happy with. Children who are old enough may even become very close to the staff members at a daycare, if they’re excellent at what they do and make children feel at home. There are, however, instances where parents inadvertently put their children in a situation where daycare abuse is going on. There are some things you should keep an eye out for to make sure that you’re not falling prey to such a facility. Remember to ask some very direct questions when you’re interviewing the facility about taking your child. Those questions should include:

Is all of your staff background checked?

How much experience do your lead staff members have with childcare?

Have there ever been any cases filed against your facility?

Has a child ever been hurt or worse at your facility?

How is entry to the facility controlled?

The answers to these questions should be immediate and should give you reason to regard the facility as credible. Abuse in daycare facilities oftentimes results from improper screening of employees and for setting up situations where children are likely to be abused. There are some things to consider that may not be immediately obvious.

Remember that screening should be done for all employees, not just the childcare workers. This means the bus drivers, the custodians and anyone else who has access to the children. If the facility does not take this extra step, look elsewhere. Pay attention when you enter the building. Preferably, you should be approached almost immediately by an adult and should have no convenient access to the children from the entryway. Access control is a huge part of security for any daycare center, and you need to make sure that yours takes it seriously.

Daycare neglect and abuse can take a heavy toll. Unfortunately, some abusive facilities could have likely been identified before the parents of the children who were abused even checked them in. Facilities may not be abusive but, at the same time, they may be inviting abusive situations by not being professional enough in how they select their staff or control access to their facilities. If the negligence of a daycare provider has negatively affected the lives of you and your children, consider contacting an attorney. You may be able to get financial compensation for what you’ve been put through.